Luxury for Less: My Vestiaire Collective Addiction

Let’s explore my mildly concerning shopping habits and the best Vestiaire Collective finds under £350.

Jan 26, 2025

If you know me - and I’m pretty sure most of my trusted 11 followers do - then you know I love to shop. But not just any type of shopping; I’m ‘kind of’ obsessed with designer items. From bags and shoes to coats and the perfect summer dress, high fashion has consumed a large part of my life (and wardrobe). That said, with my salary, I’ve never been able to indulge in this luxury shopping addiction the way I’d like. Buying brand-new designer bags, shoes, and clothes has never been something I could comfortably afford, at least not to the extreme extent I would like. But where there's a will, there’s a way (to get that Prada bag).

My love for designer fashion didn’t come out of nowhere - after all, when you have a mother as effortlessly glamourous as mine, it's hard not to want to look and be like her. Luckily, by the time I started earning my own money, second-hand designer goods became more accessible. That’s when I scored my first designer bag: a Prada backpack for £175 from Vestiaire Collective. From that moment on, I was hooked. When someone complimented my bag, my response was always, “Thanks, it’s second-hand.” I loved showing off my bargain. I really felt like I’d achieved the impossible with that purchase, but little did I know, it would kick off an addiction stronger than gorilla glue. I’d spend every spare minute scrolling through endless listings on Depop and Vestiaire, making lowball offers to sellers desperate to clear out their wardrobes.

Almost 10 years later, here we are, with a closet worth more than my bank account ever will be. But isn’t that the price we must pay for good style? ;)

Now, when I have a spare moment, I find myself doom-scrolling on Vestiaire Collective, 'favoriting' an obscene number of products I know I’ll never buy. But occasionally, a few pieces do slip into my basket, and my lovely friend Klarna often helps shoulder the financial burden of these impulsive (but entirely justified) purchases.

My favorite find? A vintage pony-hair Gucci Jackie bag I nabbed for around £500 two years ago. Hands down, it’s the best purchase I’ve ever made. This zebra-print pony hair slouchy tote fits everything I need for work but is also small enough to carry around London without feeling like I'm hauling an Ikea bag. I’ve been stopped countless times by fellow Londoners asking about this bag. It’s traveled all over the world with me and carried me through multiple seasons, proving that designer goods are built to last and truly transcend fleeting trends.

My motto is simple: buy less, buy better. Skip the 100-quid Zara haul every month filled with trend-driven pieces you’ll wear only a handful of times, and that’ll make you blend in with every other Instagram girl. Instead, save that money, and in a few months, you’ll have enough for a luxury piece that will stand the test of time. It’s the cornerstone of building that ‘capsule wardrobe’ we all strive for. Don’t get me wrong, a Zara piece can still be worth it, but only if you see yourself wearing it for years to come. Fast fashion deserves far more justification before it ends up in your cart.

These days, I often find myself eyeing the last few unicorn pieces on my Vestiaire wishlist - those pieces I love but can’t quite justify buying because I either already have something similar or the color isn’t quite right for my incredibly pale skin tone. These beauties deserve a new home, and who better than YOU?

So, here’s a curated selection of luxury finds under £350 that I think are totally worth your money: